Method and device for automatically changing sliver cans on sliver producing machines



Mmh 7, 1967 H MULLER 3,307,226

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY CHANGING SLIVER CANS ON SLIVER PRODUCING MACHINES Filed June 18, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1

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METHOD AND DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY CHANGING SLIVER CANS ON SLIVER PRODUCING MACHINES Filed June 18, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 7, 1967 H. MULLER 3,307,226

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY CHANGING SLIVER CANS ON SLIVER PRODUCING MACHINES Filed June 18, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 8

Ina anion" Mama 1/ United States Patent 14 Claims. (c1. 19-159 The present invention relates to a method and device for automatically changing sliver cans on sliver producing machines and more specifically, to a method and device for transferring sliver cans supported on a carriage onto a rotating disk located beneath the delivery end of a sliver producing machine and form the disk back to the carriage.

The term sliver producing machine" as used hereinafter in the specification and the claims, may be a drawing frame or any other machine acting on textile material prior to the spinning of the material into yarns.

In processing textile material it is considered desirable to transport the relatively heavy sliver receiving cans or containers on carriages to facilitate transport of the heavy cans between machine-s for carrying out successive processing steps on the textile material.

To avoid the necessity of lifting the heavy cans from the carriage and to place it in proper position on the respective operating machine, transfer mechanisms have already been suggested by means of which an automatic transferof a can from the carriage onto the operating machine may be carried out and such known transfer arrangements include two mechanisms, one of which moves a carriage with cans thereon in substantially horizontal direction and the other mechanism lifts an empty caninto delivery position on the machine and lowers a filled can from the machine onto the carriage. Such known transfer arrangements are however, complicated and correspondingly expensive.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a -rnethod for transferring sliver cans supported on a carriage onto a rotating disk located beneath the delivery end of a sliver producing machine and from the disk onto the carriage which can be carried out efliciently and in an expedient manner.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide for a device for transferring sliver cans supported on a carriage onto a rotating disk located beneath the delivery end of a sliver producing machine and from the disk to the carriage, which is composed of relatively simple and few parts so that the device may be manufactured at reasonable cost and stand up perfectly under extended use.

With these objects in view, the method according to the present invention of transferring sliver cans supported on a carriage onto a rotating disk having an upper surface at a given elevation and being located beneath the delivery end of sliver producing machine and from the disk to the carriage, mainly comprises the steps of supporting at least one can at transversely spaced bottom portions thereof on the carriage with the bottom of the can at an elevation below the given elevation while leaving an intermediate bottom portion of the can unengaged, moving the carriage and the can thereon toward the disk and forcing the can upwardly along a fixed upwardly inclined plane having a trailing end adjacent the disk at an elevation slightly higher than said given elevation so as to raise the bottom of the can above the upper surface of the disk, stopping movement of the carriage after the can bottom has moved from the trailing end of said plane onto the upper surface of the disk, subsequently moving said, carriage beyond. the disk while forcing the can to Ice 3,307,226

l atented Mar. 7, 1967 move with the carriage, and guiding during the last movement of the carriage the intermediate bottom portion of the can along a fixed downwardly inclined plane having a leading end adjacent the disk opposite the trailing end of the first mentioned plane at an elevation slightly lower than the given elevation until the transversely spaced bottom portion of the can are again supported on the carriage.

The can changing device according to the present invention for carrying out the above-mentioned method mainly comprises support means, a carriage movable in one direction along the support means toward and beyond the rotating disk, at least one can carried by the carriage, a pair of engaging means fixed to the carriage at an elevation lower than the given elevation of the upper surface of the aforementioned disk, spaced in a direction transverse to the one direction and engaging transversely spaced bottom portions of the can while leaving an intermediate bottom portion between said transversely spaced bottom portions free and unengaged, guide means fixed to the carriages at an elevation higher than the given elevation and guiding the can for movement toward and away from the engaging means while substantially preventing the can to move in said one direction relative to the carriage, an upwardly inclined member fixed to the support means extending in said one direction and having a leading edge substantially at the elevation of the engaging means and a trailing edge adjacent the disk and located substantially at said give-n elevation, said upwardly inclined member being arranged and constructed to engage the intermediate bottom portion of the can during movement of the carriage toward the disk to lift the bottom portion of the can from the engaging means and to raise the bottom to the elevation of the upper surface of the disk, and a downwardly inclined member fixed to the support means extending in said one direction and having a leading edge adjacent the disk diametrically 0pposite the trailing edge of the upwardly inclined member and substantially at said given elevation and a trailing end located substantially at the elevation of the engaging means, the downwardly inclined member being constructed and arranged to engage the intermediate bottom portion of the can during movement of the carriage beyond the disk to lower the can in a shock-free manner into reengagement with the engaging means of the carriage.

The device preferably includes further drive means operatively connected to the carriage for moving the same toward and past the disk.

The carriage may have a pair of opposite side walls extending in the direction of movement of the carriage and the engaging means are preferably formed by a pair of inwardly extending flanges respectively fixedly connected to the side walls at an elevation below the given elevation. The aforementioned flanges have free edges facing each other and spaced a given distance from each other and the aforementioned upwardly and downwardly inclined members which are fixed to the support means have a width slightly smaller than the distance between the free edges of the flanges so that during movement of the carriage the upwardly and downwardly inclined members may be located between the free edges of the flanges of the carriages to thus engage the intermediate bottom portions of the cans without impeding movement of the carriage towards and past the disk. v

The drive means for the carriage preferably include a friction wheel which frictionally engages one of the side Walls of the carriage to move the latter in the aforementioned direction. The friction wheel is preferably resiliently pressed against the side wall and driven for rotation about its axis by an auxiliary drive.

The method according to the present invention and the device may also be used on sliver producing machines 3 which have a plurality of delivery ends and a rotating disk located beneath each of the delivery ends of the machine. In such an arrangement the device according to the present invention includes a bridging member between successive disks which has an upper surface located substantially in one plane with the upper surfaces of the rotating disks or which has a leading edge slightly below the upper surface of one disk and a trailing end slightly above the upper surface of the disk following said one .disk. In carrying out the method of the present invention in such an arrangement, the carriage is moved through such a distance that a full can of the first disk is moved over the bridging members and the upper surfaces of the disks beyond the last disk while simultaneously empty cans are moved on the various disks.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic, partly sectioned front view of the can changing device according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the device shown in the preceding figures; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic, party sectioned front view similar to FIG. 1, and showing a sliver producing machine having two rotating disks and a bridging member between the disks, FIG. 4 is shown to a greatly reduced scale.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 13 of the same, it will be seen that the arrangement according to the present invention includes a sliver producing machine 10, only schematically illustrated in these figures, which may consist of a drawing frame or any other machine processing textile material prior to the spinning thereof, and a rotating disk 12 located beneath the delivery end of the sliver producing machine 10. The disk 12 is mounted turnable about a substantially vertical axis with its upper surface at a given elevation above a supporting surface forming part of the aforementioned machine and the disk is driven about its axis by means not shown in the drawings.

The can changing device for transferring cans 14 onto and from the upper surface of the disk 12 comprises a carriage 20 having a pair of elongated side walls 23 extending in direction of movement of the carriage, "a plate 21 fixedly connected and extending between upper edges of the side walls 23 and being formed with a plurality of circular openings 22 spaced in longitudinal direction of the carriage from each other and each preferably provided with a downwardly extending annular flange. The front and rear ends of the plate 21 are also downwardly 'bent as shown at 24 to stiffen the carriage and as can be clearly ascertained from FIG. 1, the bottom edges of the downwardly bent portions 24 and the downwardly extending annular flanges about each opening are located at an elevation slightly above the upper surface of the disk 12 so that the carriage may move over the disk without interference. The carriage includes further a pair of engaging means constituted byflanges 26 respectively fixed in any convenient manner, for instance by welding, to the side walls 23 of the carriage inwardly projecting therefrom at an elevation slightly below the bottom surface of the disk 12. The free inner edges of the flanges 26 are spaced a given distance from'each other as can be clearly ascertained from FIGS. 2 and 3. Two pairs of swivel casters 28 are mounted on the inwardly extending flanges 26 in any convenient manner, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 2, so that the carriage 20 may roll along the supporting surface.

A plurality of cans 11, for instance three as shown in the drawings, are normally supported with transversely spaced bottom portions thereof on the flanges 26 of the carriage and the cans 11 extend through the openings 22 of the top plate 21 of the carriage so that the cans 11 are forced to move with the carriage while being free to move toward and away from the flanges 26. The flanges 26 form therefore a pair of engaging means fixed to the carriage for engaging transversely spaced bottom portions of the cans while leaving an intermediate bottom portion of the cans free and unengaged, while the openings 22 in the top plate 21 of the carriage and the downwardly extending annular flanges about the openings form guide means fixed to the carriage and guiding the cans for movement toward and away from the engaging means while substantially preventing the cans to move in direction of the movement of the carriage relative to the latter.

The can changing device includes further an upwardly inclined member 14 fixed in any convenient manner to the support means, or the machine frame, extending in the direction of movement of the carriage 20 and having a leading edge substantially at the elevation of the flanges 26 of the carriage and a trailing edge adjacent the disc 12 and located preferably at an elevation slightly above that of the upper surface of the disk.

The member 14 has a width slightly smaller than the distance between the free edges of the flanges 26 so that the member 14 may be located between the free edges of the flanges without interfering with the movement of the carriage. A downwardly inclined member 16 is located in the direction of movement of the carriage rearwardly of the disk 12 fixed to the support means in any convenient manner and extending in direction of movement of the carriage. The member 16 has a leading edge adjacent the disk diametrically opposite the trailing edge of the member 14 and preferably at an elevation slightly below that of the upper surface of the disk 12, whereas the trailing edge of the member 16 is substantially at the elevation of the flanges 26 of the carriage. The width of the member 16 is substantially equal to that of the member 14 so that the member 16 will also not interfere with the movement of the carriage 20.

An electro-motor 30 is mounted on the frame of the machine 10 in any convenient manner and motor 30 drives over a drive 31, for instance a belt or a chain, a friction roller 33 mounted at one end of the tiltable arm 34 and pressed by a compression spring 36 against one side wall 23 of the cariage 20. The compressing spring 36 engages with an end the arm 34, whereas the other end of the spring abuts against fixed abutment means, not shown in the drawing. The other side wall 23 of the carriage, that is the right side wall as viewed in FIG. 2, is engaged by a plurality of guide rolls 38 which are mounted on the machine frame turnable about substantially vertical axes and arranged spaced from each other in direction of the movement of the carriage 20 so that the latter may not shift in lateral direction under the pressure of the friction roller 33.

A plurality of carriages 20 may be aligned with each other to abut against each other at the downwardly extending portions 24 of the upper plates thereof, as indicated in FIG. 3, and adjacent carriages may be coupled to each other by conventional coupling means not shown in the drawing and not forming part of the present invention. This arrangement may also include as shown in FIG. '3 a .second electric motor 30' mounted in any convenient manner on an extension of the frame of the machine 10, not shown in the drawing, and driving by means of a transmission 31 a friction roller 33' mounted on a tiltable arm 34 and pressed by compression spring 36' against one side wall of the second carriage. In this case the row of the guide rollers 38 is extended to engage also the opposite side wall of the second carriage.

l The arrangement above described will operate as folows:

The coupled together carriages 20 are moved in longitudinal direction by the motor 30' and the drive roller 33' connected thereto so that the leading can 11 on the leading carriage 20 moves upwardly on the upwardly inclined member 14 to move, upon further movement of the carriage, onto the upper surface of the disk 12. When the leading can 11 is thus located on the rotating disk 12 beneath the delivery end of the machine 10, the motors 30 and 30' are stopped preferably automatically by any known arrangement not forming part of the present invention and which may for instance include an electric eye mounted on the machine in such a manner that the light beam is interrupted when the leading can 11 is at the proper location centered on the disk 12 to operate thereby in a known manner a relay interrupting the current supply to the motors and 30 and start at the same time the machine 10 to deliver a sliver band into the can located below the delivery end of the machine 10. The length of the band delivered into the can 11 on the disk 12 may be measured in a known manner by an appropriate measuring device known in the art and not forming part of the present invention and the band is then severed in known manner while at the same time the motors 30 and 30' are started and operated for a length of time until the next can 11 of the first carriage is moved in the aforementioned manner onto the rotating disk while the filled can 11 is moved at the same time from the upper surface of the disk 12 onto the upper surface of the downwardly inclined member 16. After the second can 11 is moved in proper position on the upper surface of the disk 12, the movement of the carriages is again stopped in the aforementioned manner and the three cans of the first carriage will assume the position as shown in FIG. 1. The operation will proceed in the aforementioned manner to deliver one can after the other on the rotating disk whereby the cans move over the upwardly inclined member 14 from the supporting flanges 26 of the carriage onto the upper surface of the rotating disk and from the latter downwardly over the upper surface of the downwardly inclined member 16 into reengagement with the supporting flanges 26.

While the carriage 20 is illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 constructed to carry three cans 11, it is obvious that the carriage could be constructed to carry more or less than three cans without changing the principle of operation or the basic construction of the transfer device. It is also obvious that carriages containing a different number of cans may be coupled to each other in any desired sequence and be operated in the aforementioned manner.

It is also possible to use the above-discussed operating method in combination with a machine having a plurality of delivery ends and a plurality of rotating disks respectively located beneath each delivery end of the machine.

Such an arrangement is schematically shown in FIG. 4 for a machine having two rotating disks 12 and the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 4 differs from the arrangements above described in that a bridging member is located between the disks 12 and 12" which bridging member 40 has an upper surface extending substantially at the elevation of the upper surfaces of the disks 12 and 12" and preferably the leading edge 40' of the bridging member 40 is at an elevation slightly below the upper surface of the disk 12 whereas the trailing edge 40" is located at an elevation slightly above the upper surface of the disk 12". The arrangement includes also an upwardly inclined member 14 preceding in direction of movement of the carriage the disk 12' and a downwardly inclined member 16 following the disk 12".

During operation of the arrangement shown in FIG. 4 a carriage, not shown in FIG. 4, carrying a plurality of cans 11 in the manner as described before is moved in longitudinal direction and through such a distance that a can 11' on the disk 12' is moved after being filled to the desired degree over the bridging member 40 and over the upper surface of the disk 12 to the position as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4 onto the downwardly inclined member 16 while empty cans are simultaneously placed on the disks 12' and 12".

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of can changing devices differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a can changing device for transferring cans from a carriage onto a rotating disk and from the latter to the carriage, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of the equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A method of transferring sliver cans supported on a carriage onto a rotating disk having an upper surface at a given elevation and located beneath the delivery end of a sliver producing machine and from the disk onto the carriage, comprising the steps of supporting at least one can at transversely spaced bottom portions thereof on the carriage with the bottom of the can at an elevation below said given elevation while leaving an intermediate bottom portion unengage-d; moving said carriage and the can thereon towards the disk and forcing the can upwardly along a fixed upwardly inclined plane having a trailing end adjacent the disk at an elevation slightly higher than said given elevation so as to raise the bottom of the can above the upper surface of the disk; stopping movement of the carriage after the can bottom has moved from the trailing end of said plane onto the upper surface of the disk; subsequently moving the carriage beyond the disk while forcing the can to move with the carriage; and guiding during the last movement of the carriage the intermediate bottom portion of the can along a fixed downwardly inclined plane having a leading end adjacent the disk opposite the trailing end of the first mentioned plane at an elevation slightly lower than said given elevation until said transversely spaced bottom portions of the can are again supported on the carriage.

2. A method of transferring sliver cans supported on a carriage onto a rotating disk having an upper surface at a given elevation and located beneath the delivery end of a sliver producing machine and from the disk onto the carriage, comprising the steps of supporting at least one can at transversely spaced bottom portions thereof on the carriage wit-h the bottom of the can at an elevation below said given elevation while leaving an intermediate bottom portion unengaged; moving said carriage and the can thereon towards the disk and forcing the can upwardly along a fixed upwardly inclined plane having a trailing end adjacent the disk at an elevation slightly higher than said evelation so as to raise the bottom of the can above the upper surface of the disk; stopping movement of the carriage after the can bottom has moved from the trailing end of said plane onto the upper surface of the disk; subsequently moving the carriage beyond the disk while forcing the can to move with the carriage; guiding during the last movement of the carriage the intermediate lbottom pontion of the can along a fixed downwardly inclined plane having a leading end adjacent the disk opposite the trailing end of the first mentioned plane at an elevation slightly lower than said given elevation until said transversely spaced bottom portions of the can are again supported on the carriage; and controlling movement of the carriage in dependence on the amount of sliver material delivered into a can on the disk.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein said sliver producing machine has a plurality of delivery ends and a rotating disk beneath each delivery end and wherein each carriage carries a plurality of cans, and including the step of moving the carriage during movement of said cans from said disks through such a distance that the can on the first disk is moved beyond the last disk while maintaining during said movement of said carriage the bottoms of said cans substantially at said given elevation.

4. A can changing device for transfering cans onto and from a rotating disk having an upper surface at a given elevation and located beneath the delivery end of a sliver producing machine comprising, in combination, support means; a carriage movable in one direction along said support means toward and beyond said rotating disk; at least one can carried by the carriage; a pair of engaging means fixed to said carriage at an elevation lower than said given elevation spaced in a direction transverse to said one direction and engaging transversely spaced bottom portions of the can while leaving an intermediate bottom portion between said transversely spaced bottom portions and uneng'aged; guide means fixed to said carriage at an elevation higher than the given elevation and guiding said can for movement toward and away from said engaging means while substantially preventing said can to move in said one direction relative to said carriage; an upwardly inclined member fixed to said support means extending in said one direction and having a leading edge substantially at the elevation of said engaging means and a trailing edge adjacent said disk and located substantially at said given elevation, said fixed upwardly inclined member arranged and constructed to engage said intermediate bottom portion of said can during movement of said carriage toward said disk to lift the bottom of said can from said engaging means and to raise the bottom to the elevation of the upper surface of the disk; and a downwardly inclined member fixed to said support means extending in said one direction and having a leading edge adjacent said disk diametrically opposite said trailing edge of said upwardly inclined member and substantially at said given elevation and a trailing edge substantially at the elevation of said engaging means, said downwardly inclined member constructed and arranged to engage said intermediate bottom portion of said can during movement of said carriage beyond said disk to lower said can in a shock free manner into re-engage-ment with said engaging means.

5. A can changing device for transferring cans onto and from a rotating disk having an upper surface at a given elevation and located beneath the delivery end of a sliver producing machine comprising, in combination, support means; a carriage movable in one direction along said support means toward and beyond said rotating disk; at least one can carried by the carriage; a pair of engaging means fixed to said carriage at an elevation lower than said given elevation spaced in a direction transverse to said one direction and engaging transversely spaced bottom portions of the can while leaving an intermediate bottom portion between said transversely spaced bottom portions free and unengaged; guide means fixed to said carriage at an elevation higher than the given elevation and guiding said can for movement toward and away from said engaging means while substantially preventing said can to move in said one direct-ion relative to said carriage; an upwardly inclined member fixed to said support means extending in said one direction and having a leading edge substantially at the elevation of said engaging means and a trailing edge adjacent said disk and located substantially at said given elevation, said fixed upwardly inclined member arranged and constructed to engage said intermediate bottom portion of said can during movement of said carriage toward said disk to lift the bottom of said can from said engaging means and to raise the bottom to the elevation of the upper surface of the disk; a downwardly inclined member fixed to said support means extending in said one direction and having a leading edge adjacent said disk diametrically opposite said trailing edge of said upwardly inclined member and substantially at said given elevation and a trailing edge substantially at the elevation of said engaging means, said downwardly inclined member constructed and arranged to engage said intermediate bottom portion of said can during movement of said carriage beyond said disk to lower said can in a shock tree manner into re-engagernent with said engaging means; and drive means operatively connected to said carriage for moving the same toward and past said disk.

6. A can changing device for transferring cans onto and from a rotating disk having an upper surface at a given elevation and located beneath the delivery end of a sliver producing machine comprising, in combination, support means; a carriage movable in one directionalong said support means toward and beyond said rotating disk; at least one can carried by the carriage; a pair of engaging means fixed to said carriage at an elevation lower than said given elevation spaced in a direction transverse to said one direction and engaging transversely spaced bottom portions of the can while leaving an intermediate bottom portion between said transversely spaced bottom portions free and unengaged; guide means fixed to said carriage at an elevation higher than the given elevation and guiding said can for movement toward and away from said engaging means while substantially preventing said can to move in said one direction relative to said carriage; an upwardly inclined member fixed to said support means extending in said one direction and having a leading edge substantially at the elevation of said engaging means and to trailing edge adjacent said disk and located substantially at said given elevation, said fixed upwardly inclined member arranged and constructed to engage said intermediate bottom portion of said can during movement of said carriage toward said disk to lift the bottom of said can from said engaging means and to raise the bottom to the elevation of the upper surface of the disk; a downwardly inclined member fixed to said support means extending in said one direction and having a leading edge adjacent said disk diametrically opposite said trailing edge of said upwardly inclined member and substantially at said given elevation and a trailing edge substantially at the elevation of said engaging means, said downwardly inclined member constructed and arranged to engage said intermediate bottom portion of said can during movement of said carriage beyond said disk to lower said can in a shock free manner into re-engagement with said engaging means; and drive means on said support means and engaging said carriage for moving the same toward and past said disk.

7. A can changing device for transferring cans onto and from a rotating disk having an upper surface at a given elevation and located beneath the delivery end of a sliver producing machine comprising, in combination, support means; a carriage movable in one direction along said support means toward and beyond said rotating disk; a plurality of cans carried by said carriage spaced in said one direction from each other; a pair of engaging means fixed to said carriage at an elevation lower than said given elevation spaced in a direction transverse to said one direction and engaging transversely spaced bottom portions of the cans while leaving intermediate bottom portions between said transversely spaced bottom portions free and unengaged; guide means fixed to said carriage at an elevation higher than the given elevation and guiding said cans for movement toward and away from said engaging means while substantially preventing said cans to move in said one direction relative to said carriage; an upwardly inclined member fixed to said support means extending in-said one direction and having a leading edge substantially at the elevation of said engaging means and a trailing edge adjacent said disk and located substantially at said given elevation, said fixed upwardly inclined member arranged and constructed to engage said intermediate bottom portion of the can approaching the disk during movement of said carriage toward said disk to lift the bottom of said can from said engaging means and to raise the bottom to the elevation of the upper surface of the disk; and a downwardly inclined member fixed to said support means extending in said one direction and having a leading edge adjacent said disk diametrically opposite said trailing edge of said upwardly inclined member and substantially at said given elevation and a trailing edge substantially at the elevation of said engaging means, said downwardly inclined member constructed and arranged to engage said intermediate bottom portion of the can leaving the disk during movement of said carriage beyond said disk to lower said can in a shock free manner into re-engagement with said engaging means. i

8. A can changing device for transferring cans onto and from a rotating disk having an upper surface at a given elevation and located beneath the delivery end of a sliver producing machine comprising, in combination, support means; a carriage movable in one direction along said support means toward and beyond said rotating disk, said carriage having a pair of side walls and an inwardly extending flange on each side wall located at an elevation below said given elevation and each having a free edge facing and spaced a given distance from the free edge of the other flange; a plurality of cans carried by said carriage spaced in said one direction from each other and engaging with transversely spaced bottom portions thereof said flanges while leaving an intermediate bottom portion of each can between said transversely spaced bottom portions free and unengaged; guide means fixed to said side walls of said carriage at an elevation higher than the given elevation and guiding said cans for movement toward and away from said flanges while substantially preventing said cans to move in said one direction relative to said carriage; an upwardly inclined member having a width smaller than said given distance, fixed to said support means extending in said one direction and having a leading edge substantially at the elevation of of said flanges and a trailing edge adjacent said disk and located substantially at said given elevation, said fixed upwardly inclined member arranged and constructed to engage said intermediate bottom portion of the can approaching the disk during movement of said carriage toward said disk to lift the bottom of said can from said flanges and to raise the bottom to the elevation of the upper surface of the disk; and a downwardly inclined member having a width smaller than said given distance, fixed to said support means extending in said one direction and having a leading edge adjacent said disk diametrically opposite said trailing edge of said upwardly inclined member and substantially at said given elevation and a trailing edge substantially at the elevation of said flanges, said downwardly inclined member constructed and arranged to engage said intermediate bottom portion of the can leaving the disk during movement of said carriage beyond said disk to lower said can in a shock free manner into re-engagement wtih said flanges.

9. A can changing device for transferring cans onto and from a rotating disk having an upper surface at a given elevation and located beneath the delivery end of a sliver producing machine comprising, in combination, support means; a carriage movable in one direction along said support means toward and beyond said rotating disk, said carriage having a pair of side walls and an inwardly extending flange on each side wall located at an elevation below said given elevation and each having a free edge facing and spaced a given distance from the free edge of the other flange, and a plate fixed to and extending transversely between said side walls at an elevation higher than said given elevation and being formed with a plurality of openings therethrough spaced in said one one direction from each other; a plurality of cans carried by said carriage spaced in said one direction from each other and engaging with transversely spaced bottom portions thereof said flanges while leaving an intermediate bottom portion of each can between said transversely spaced bottom portions free and unengaged, said cans respectively extending through said openings in said plate to be guided therein for movement'toward and away from said flanges while said cans are substantially prevented to move in said one direction relative to said carriage; an upwardly inclined member having a width smaller than said given distance, fixed to said support means extending in said one direction and having a leading edge substantially at the elevation of said flanges and a trailing edge adjacent said disk and located substantially at said given elevation, said fixed upwardly inclined member arranged and constructed to engage said intermediate bottom portion of the can approaching the disk during movement of said carriage toward said disk to lift the bottom of said can from said flanges and to raise the bottom to the elevation of the upper surface of the disk; and a downwardly inclined member having a width smaller than said given distance fixed to said support means extending in said one direction and having a leading edge adjacent said disk diametrically opposite said trailing edge of said upwardly inclined member and substantially at said given elevation and a trailing edge substantially at the elevation of said flanges, said downwardly inclined member constructed and arranged to engage said intermediate bottom portion of the can leaving the disk during movement of said carriage beyond said disk to lower said can in a shock free manner into reengagement with said flanges.

10. A can changing device for transferring cans onto and from a rotating disk having an upper surface at a given elevation and located beneath the delivery end of a sliver producing machine comprising, in combination, support means; a carriage movable in one direction along said support means toward and beyond said rotating disk, said carriage having a pair of side walls and an inwardly extending flange on each side wall located at an elevation below said given elevation and each having a free edge facing and spaced a givendistance from the free edge of the other flange, and a plate fixed to and extending transversely between said side walls at an elevation higher than said given elevation and being formed with a plurality of openings therethrough spaced in said one direction from each other, a plurality of cans carried by said carriage spaced in said one direction from each other and engaging with transversely spaced bottom portions thereof said flanges while leaving an intermediate bottom portion of each can between said transversely spaced bottom portions free and unengaged, said cans respectively extending through said openings in said plate to be guided therein for movement toward and away from said flanges while said cans are substantially prevented to move in said one direction relative to said carriage; an upwardly inclined member having a width smaller than said given distance, fixed to said support means extending in said one direction and having a leading edge substantially at the elevation of said-flanges and a trailing edge adjacent said disk and located substantially at said given elevation, said fixed upwardly inclined member arranged and constructed to engage said intermediate bottom portion of the can approaching the disk during movement of said carriage toward said disk to lift the bottom of said can from said flanges and to raise the bottom to the elevation of the upper surface of the disk; a downwardly inclined member having a width smaller than said given distance fixed to said support means extending in said one direction and having a leading edge adjacent said disk diametrically opposite said trailing edge of said upwardly inclined member and substantially at said given elevation and a trailing edge substantially at the elevation of said flanges, said downwardly inclined member constructed and arranged to engage said intermediate bottom portion of the can leaving the disk during movement of said carriage beyond said disk to lower said can in a shock free manner into re-engagement with said flanges.

11. A can changing device for transferring cans onto and from a rotating disk having an upper surface at a given elevation and located beneath the delivery end of a sliver producing machine comprising, in combination, support means; a carriage movable in one direction along said support means toward and beyond said rotating disk, said carriage having a pair of side walls and an inwardly extending flange on each side wall located at an elevation below said given elevation and each having a free edge facing and spaced a given distance from the free edge of the other flange, and a plate fixed to and extencling transversely between said side walls at an elevation higher than said given elevation and being formed with a plurality of openings therethrough spaced in said one direction fromeach other; a plurality of cans carried by said carriage spaced in said one direction from each other and engaging with transversely spaced bottom portions thereof said flanges while leaving an intermediate bottom portion of each can between said transversely spaced bottom portions free and unengaged, said cans respectively extending through said openings in said plate to be guided therein for movement toward and away from said flanges while said cans are substantially prevented to move in said one direction relative to said carriage; an upwardly inclined member having a width smaller than said given distance, fixed to said support means extending in said one direction and having a leading edge substantially at the elevation of said flanges and a trailing edge adjacent said disk and located substantially at said given elevation, said fixed upwardly inclined member arranged and constructed to engage said intermediate bottom portion of the can approaching the disk during movement of said carriage toward said disk to lift the bottom of said can from said flanges and to raise the bottom to the elevation of the upper surface of the disk; a downwardly inclined member having a width smaller than said given distance fixed to said support means extending in said one direction and having a leading edge adjacent said disk diametrically opposite said trailing edge of said upwardly inclined member and substantially at said given elevation and a trailing edge substantially at the elevation of said flanges, said downwardly inclined member constructed and arranged to engage said intermediate bottom portion of the can leaving the disk during movement of said carriage beyond said disk to lower said can in a shock free manner into reengagement with said flanges; guiding means on said support means for guiding said carriage in said one direction; a friction wheel engaging one side wall of said carriage; and means for rotating said friction wheel about its axis so as to move said carriage toward and past said disk.

12. A can changing device for transferring cans onto and from a rotating disk having an upper surface at a given elevation and located beneath the delivery end of a sliver producing machine comprising, in combination, support means having an upper substantially horizontal supporting surface; a carriage movable in one direction along said supporting surface of said support means toward and beyond said rotating disk, said carriage having a pair of side walls and an inwardly extending flange on each side wall located at an elevation below said given elevation and each having a free edge facing and spaced a given distance from the free edge-of the other flange, and a plate fixed to and extending transversely between said side walls at an elevation higher than said given elevation and being formed with a plurality of openings therethrough spaced in said one direction from each other; a plurality of cans carried by said carriage spaced in said one direction from each other and engaging with transversely spaced bottom portions thereof said flanges while leaving an intermediate bottom portion of each can between said transversely spaced bottom portions free and unengaged, said cans respectively extending through said openings in said plate to be guided therein for movement toward and away from said flanges while said cans are substantially prevented to move in said one direction relative to said carriage; an upwardly inclined member having a width smaller than said given distance, fixed to said support means extending in said one direction and having a leading edge substantially at the elevation of said flanges and a trailing edge adjacent said disk and located substantially at said given elevation, said fixed upwardly inclined member arranged and constructed to engage said intermediate bottom portion of the can approaching the disk during movement of said carriage toward said disk to lift the bottom of said can from said flanges and to raise the bottom to the elevation of the upper surface of the disk; at downwardly inclined member having a Width smaller than said given distance fixed to said support means extending in said one direction and having a leading edge adjacent said disk diametrically opposite said trailing edge of said upwardly inclined member and substantially at said given elevation and a trailing edge substantially at the elevation of said flanges, said downwardly inclined member constructed and arranged to engage said intermediate bottom portion of the can leaving the disk during movement of said carriage beyond said disk to lower said can in a shock free manner into re-engagement with said flanges; a plurality of guide rollers mounted spaced from each other in said one direction on said support means and having each a turning axis substantially normal to said supporting surface, said guide rollers engaging one of the side walls of said carriage; a friction Wheel adapted to engage the other side wall of said carriage; means mounting said friction wheel on said support means and resiliently pressing said wheel against said other side wall; and means for rotating said friction wheel about its axis so as to move said carriage in said one direction toward and past said disk.

13. A device as set forth in claim 7, wherein said sliver producing machine has a plurality of deliveryends and a rotating disk beneath each delivery end, and including a bridging member fixed to said support means between each pair of successive disks, said bridging member having an upper surface located substantially at said given elevation so that a can on one disk may slide during movement of said carriage over said bridging members and over the upper surfaces of said disks.

14. A device as set forth in claim 13 wherein each bridging member has a leading edge at an elevation slightly below said given elevation and a trailing edge slightly above said given elevation.

No references cited.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

I. C. WADDEY, Assistant Examiner, 

4. A CAN CHANGING DEVICE FOR TRANSFERING CANS ONTO AND FROM A ROTATING DISK HAVING AN UPPER SURFACE AT A GIVEN ELEVATION AND LOCATED BENEATH THE DELIVERY END OF A SILVER PRODUCING MACHINE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, SUPPORT MEANS; A CARRIAGE MOVABLE IN ONE DIRECTION ALONG SAID SUPPORT MEANS TOWARD AND BEYOND SAID ROTATING DISK; AT LEAST ONE CAN CARRIED BY THE CARRIAGE; A PAIR OF ENGAGING MEANS FIXED TO SAID CARRIAGE AT AN ELEVATION LOWER THAN SAID GIVEN ELEVATION SPACED IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSE TO SAID ONE DIRECTION AND ENGAGING TRANSVERSELY SPACED BOTTOM PORTIONS OF THE CAN WHILE LEAVING AN INTERMEDIATE BOTTOM PORTION BETWEEN SAID TRANSVERSELY SPACED BOTTOM PORTIONS AND UNENGAGED; GUIDE MEANS FIXED TO SAID CARRIAGE AT AN ELEVATION HIGHER THAN THE GIVEN ELEVATION AND GUIDING SAID CAN FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID ENGAGING MEANS WHILE SUBSTANTIALLY PREVENTING SAID CAN TO MOVE IN SAID ONE DIRECTION RELATIVE TO SAID CARRIAGE; AN UPWARDLY INCLINED MEMBER FIXED TO SAID SUPPORT MEANS EXTENDING IN SAID ONE DIRECTION AND HAVING A LEADING EDGE SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE ELEVATION OF SAID ENGAGING MEANS AND A TRAILING EDGE ADJACENT SAID DISK AND LOCATED SUBSTANTIALLY AT SAID GIVEN ELEVATION, SAID FIXED UPWARDLY INCLINED MEMBER ARRANGED AND CONSTRUCTED TO ENGAGE SAID INTERMEDIATE BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID CAN DURING MOVEMENT OF 